Watch Dogs Location-based Game

This post discusses how to build a Watch Dogs-inspired location-based game using Conducttr, SMS and phone calls.

Note: the video is Rob developing an idea on the fly and you’ll see the mis-steps and retweaks as well as hear the thought process.

How its Played

Players find CCTV cameras around the city, text a unique code and watch pre-recorded video of a story unfolding at that location as seen by the CCTV camera.

To make things more interesting, players and actors wear armbands also with a unique code. Texting the armband code reveals “personal” information about that player or actor.
Some actors are agents of ctOS and will detect intrusions and disable access to the CCTV footage for 15 mins.

How You Make it

Do some location scouting, find a bunch of CCTV cameras and write a script for actors to play out within sight of the CCTV cameras. Use something like this to get the shots for cameras that are high up.

Then you’ll need either a map with the codes (location aware) or a map with cameras (location based). Players text the codes to unlock the content. In the case of the CCTV cameras it’s the scripted video.

For actors playing agents, some codes can lead to audio dramas of conversations that character has had with others or SMS “facts” or, if you have players register their phones and email you could send an email with a full written report.. maybe using the Watch Dogs inspired email template I created. It’s available at the forum.